York likes the 49ers’ chances if they play their style of football, but noted “the Ravens are going to be an unbelievably tough opponent.” He is anticipating an emotional, physical game that probably will be won by whoever makes the least mistakes.

–York’s admiration for his uncle, Eddie DeBartolo, goes beyond blood lines. DeBartolo is “the best owner in the history of professional sports,” saidYork, noting how it’s “a shame” that DeBartolo hasn’t yet been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

DeBartolo could land that Hall of Fame invitation Saturday, andYork insisted a driving reason is DeBartolo’s wherewithal to not only hire Bill Walsh but also become so revered. “Have you ever seen players love an owner as much as Eddie? It was not just because of the money. He opened up the 49ers and made it a family. He took care of people and loved people more than any owner in the history of sports.”

— One of York’s occasional visits to Jim Harbaugh’s office resulted in a benchmark moment for the franchise: Harbaugh’s call to keep Colin Kaepernick as his starter ahead of Alex Smith. York recalled asking Harbaugh what his “gut” told him, to which Harbaugh replied: “My gut’s Kap.”

York said he understood and that he didn’t need to give his approval. “He makes the decision. It was controversial at the time but that’s what head coaches do,” York said. “It’s paid off, and we’ll see how it goes Sunday.”

— Alex Smith isn’t the only one who started working at the 49ers’ facility in 2005. So did York. Whether Smith’s tenure is ending, York said the 49ers will weigh whether they have the salary cap room to keep his $8.5 million salary (he stated they “absolutely” do), how nice it is to have two winning quarterbacks, how much in demand Smith will be and how much Smith wants to go start elsewhere. “We’ll sit down after the Super Bowl and see what’s best for everybody.”

— General manager Trent Baalke hasn’t been in New Orleans for media sessions, and York endorsed that, stating it’s better for Harbaugh to serve as the organization’s “one voice.”

York raved about how well his hand-picked coach and general manager work together, something he knew would happen 10 minutes into Harbaugh’s job interview two years ago. That’s when Harbaugh asked to loosen his tie and put in some chewing tobacco, to which Baalke did the same. “I could see a mutual respect for each other,”York said.

–York said the Super Bowl is “definitely” coming to Santa Clara, though the team is merely a finalist for Super Bowl L (50) or LI (51). Construction of the stadium is one-third complete,York estimated, and the 49ers will be moving there in 2014.

The door is not closed to sharing the $1.2 billion stadium with the Raiders, per the agreement the 49ers made during Santa Clara’s ballot measure. York said Raiders owner Mark Davis is “evaluating all options” and that the teams are not in discussions about sharing the venue.

— The 49ers will host a large reception at their hotel Thursday night for alumni, family and special guests. York, without naming names, believes Harbaugh may invite a few alumni to address the team at practice.

— Come Super Bowl Sunday,York will not make an exception and visit the 49ers’ locker room before the game. Nor will he sit with his uncle Eddie, because: “That’s never a good thing. There’s way too much nervous energy. The time continuum would explode.”